Lift and latch for deep-freeze cabinet lid



. May 4, w, BURKE 2,440,734

LIFT AND LATCH FOR DEEP-FREEZE CABINET LIDS Filed April 10, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6\ Mann" g INVENTOR.

dill/m 051M May 4, 1948. w. o. BURKE LIFT AND LATCH FOR DEEP-FREEZE CABINET LIDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 10, 1944 IN V EN TOR. 0. links,

Patented May 4, 1948 L 1F T :ANDLATCH FOR DEEP-FREEZE l V CABINET LID William 0. Burke] Rockford, QIll., assignonto NationalLock Rockford, 111., a corporation App aisaln 10, 1944. Serial No. 530.249,,

This invention relates in a'generalfway to latchesfor cabinets, but is more particularly concernedwith a latch which will also serve as a means whereby a horizontal lid or cover on a cabinet may be lifted to afi'ord access to thejnterior of the cabinet;

ly seal the lid so as to prevent heat transference, H

1 in height toward-its rear end and provi'ded with consequently, I have devised a'latch' hereindisclosed which is adapted, when the lid is moved to closed position, to automatically engage. itself with a strike or keeper and draw the lid snugly against the margin around the cabinet opening, thereby producing a hermetic seal which prevents heat transference around the' lid. i I

One of the primary purposes, therefore, of my present invention is the provision of a latch which will exert a substantial closing pull uponthe lid to hold it snugly against theopposd cabinet face.

Another purpose is the provision of .a latch of this character which will also serve as a liftby presenting a handle in accessible position which can be readily grasped for the exertion of an upward pull thereon. Such an upward pull produces two effects. First, it releases the latchlmember from the strike or keeper, thus freeing the lid for movement, and second a continuation of the pull serves to lift or swing the forward portion of the lid upwardly about the hinges by which its rear portion is connected to the cabinet.

Another purpose of my invention is to provide a latch which can be locked so as to prevent-release of the latching member from the keeper and thereby preclude access to the 'iriterior of the cabinet.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the structural featuresfof my invention, I

have illustrated on the accompanying drawings preferred embodimentsthereofi.

Referring to the drawingszi i Fig. l'is a fragmentary perspectivevi'ew' of a cabinet equipped with my novel lift and latch;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the latch;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view illustrating the normally concealed parts in latching position;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing these parts in unlatched position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Q Fig. 6 isa planviewsimilar to Fig. 2 of amodiffied form of latch; and i 'Fig.-7 is; a view similar to'Fig; B of thelatch shown inFigfi. L; l Beferringto the' drawings morein detail, reference charactert indicatestge'nerally a cabinet of the deep ffreeize typeprovide dwith a" top opening Q fo'r access to the interior of; the cabinet, which opening is*-normally closed bya horizontal lid l l 10 mountedon-the cabinet by the hinges- I 2 and provided atitsf-forward edge; with thelift and latch contemplated by my invention and designated j-genera-lly by reference characterl3. The latch. comprises housingfl 4 diminishing rlateral flanges l5 by which the'housing; is secured upon the upper face of the lid "by; a plurali'tyof screws I-ii. "The housing is. mounted uponfthe lid so that theforwardportion of thehousing projects a substantial distance-beyond the front edge ofthe lid and; overlies the strike or keeper I! "mounted byscrews '2ll' orother means upon the upp er fa'ce of the cabinet forwardly. of the; openingQIfThekeeper is-shaped to provide the in- "clined or'cam portion 1 Band a latching shoulder P19 with whichthelatchii member o f'the latch 'engagesf to drawfthe lid intosnug"re1ation' with ab ne i 1 Thejprojecting portion of the latch housing is of channel-shape and the top wall which f-orms th base Lt g han li tutway to ceemm r datealever arm 21; of channel shape, construction vo llxtmqu ted" etwe n, thaside w s i ws n' r n'- iti le n lnin;2: 1;, Upon "t gsicrum pin' ZZ and straddling;the:handle-lever 2| also pivotallymounted a latch "memberiii consisting of apair of spaced apart side walls joined "bya, front wall and having a latching roller, bu itedj pon awn: 2 m n b tw e hg' d 66 A spring 33 coiled around the pin 28 has one end 34 abutted against the pin 22 and its opposite end 35 abutted against the depending rear end 36 of the handle lever 2| so as to normally bias said lever in a clockwise direction into the position shown in Fig. 3. A similar but heavier spring 31 surrounding the fulcrum pin 22 has one end resting against the pin-28 and its other end 38' resting against the upper edge of the front wall 24 of, the latch member, so as to bias said member in a clockwise direction into the position shown in Fig. 3.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 3, the roller 25 of the latching member vent counter-clockwise movement of the latch- -member 23 and thus preclude-release of the latch. a

In order to open the 'lid,'-it is onlynecessary for the user to grasp the handle 4| carried by -the handle,- lever H, in the manner shown in Ffigwlpand exert an upward-pull thereon. The handle lever 21 will thereby be swungin a countereclockwisedirection to cause the short arms 42;,of the'handle lever to exert a thrust toward the right VieWing Fig. 3, .upon the front wall '24 of-gthe latch member, thereby swinging said latch 'm emberin a-counter-clockwise direction to withdraw'the latching roller 25 from beneaththe shgulder ;l 9 of-thekeeper. Continued upward pull upon thehandle will lift the lid, thereby affordingaccess to theinterior cf the cabinet 'throughthe opening 9.

Upon closing movement of the lid the latchi-ngroller 25, as the lid approaches closed posi- ,tion illustrated in Fig. 4, will ride down the in- -cline. l8- upon the strike, swinging the latching member,- 23 into-the position shown in Fig, 4, against the force of spring. 37, until the roller ,25 ridesbelo'w the end of cam I8, whereupon the. roller will snap beneath. the shoulder l9 and thereby draw the lid snugly against the top ofthe cabinet. These latching movements of the latch member 23 on its fulcrum pin 22 are produced without affecting the position of theblever 2| ..and handle, which during these movements of the" latching member are held stationaryiin the position shownin Figs. Sand 4 by the-spring 33. A tight seal between the cabinet and the lid is thus produced and maintained by the latch member until an upward pull is again ,exrted upon the handle to release the latch and lift the lid. a

i Iii-the form-of the invention illustrated in Figsifi and '7 the latchin'g roller 43, which cooperates with the strike 44, is carried by arms 45 formed integrally with the handle lever 46. This iever, as in the previous instance, is pivoted upon ,aj-Efulcrum pin 22 carried 'by the housing M. A

co'ildspring 41 surrounding the fulcrum pin 22,

with one'end engaged with an abutment 48 on 'thefhous'ing aridthe other engaged at 49 with thel'rear end of the handle lever, serves to main- 4 tain the lever in the position shown in Fig. 7. Rotation of the lever in a clockwise direction is limited by engagement of the rear faces of arms 45 with the abutments 50 on the housing 14. When during the closing movements, how ever, the roller 43 rides down the cam surface of the strike 44, thelever 46 and the handle carried thereby are rocked in a counter-clockwise direction about the fulcrum 22. This movement of the lever, which is transmitted to the hand of the operator, makes this form of latch apparently less smooth in its operation. The simplicity of its structure, however, resulting from employment of fewer parts and the resultant economyin manufacture, commend its use in many installations.

In thisform of latch the locking eye 5| adapted to receive the hasp of a padlock or the like is fulcrumed upon the fulcrum pin 22 and projects upwardly through the opening 52 in the forward arm of the. lever. .The; tail.53.,ofathe eye member, resting. against the-.abutment 48,

limits the upward movement of the .eyeand, consequently, prevents unlatching movement .of thelever45.

The shape, proportion and structurallldetails of the various parts illustrated and. described may, obviously .be varied withinfconsiderable a portionprojecting outwardly Qversaidlstrike,

said strike having a downwardly facing shoulder, a latch pivoted to said housing and having holding means thereon below its pivotto engage said shoulder, spring means constantly urging 'said latch in one direction about itspivot, into position to engage said holding means under said shoulder, a handle lever pivoted to said housing and extending outwardly thereof and terminating in a handle portion, means on said leverbelow the pivot thereof ositively engaging said latch below its pivot whereby lifting said handle portion will swing said latch outwardly 'to be disengaged from said shoulderj andlift said closure to open position. v

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 inf-which said housing and latch are provided with intereng aging stop 'means to limit the swingingpf said latch relative to said housing.

- WILLTAM REFERENCES CITED V The following references are of record irf-the file of this'patent:

UNITED STATES PATEnTs 

